Blackburn 1 Hull 1

Phil Brown reckons a blueprint of this display will be enough to see his Hull side stay up.

After tasting victory in their opening-day clash with Fulham, this was always going to be a truer test of City's credentials.

And if anyone was still wondering whether the Tigers would have the will to fight for their place in the Premier League, there cannot be too many now.

They made a decent start, only to fall behind to a Jason Roberts strike with 38 minutes gone.

Some sides making their way in the top flight would have buckled but Hull bounced back with Richard Garcia's clever header. And they could even have pinched a win with a couple of late chances.

Brown said: "We won't get carried away and it is only two games. But Blackburn had a bit of momentum going and it was important we got something from the game.

"I'm ecstatic with a point, and it's a great point on our journeys. If we continue with that kind of passion, drive, commitment and togetherness, we'll be OK this year."

It was a feisty opening between two teams prepared to scrap and even though Blackburn were camped in Hull territory, the visitors looked decent on the break.

Anthony Gardner took the sting out of a Steven Reid drive that was held by Boaz Myhill as the Tigers continued to look comfortable.

Then Morten Gamst Pedersen just failed to hit the target with a prod from outside the area after Michael Turner headed away David Dunn's free-kick.

Hull continued to look dangerous on the counter and Craig Fagan could have opened the scoring from Dean Marney's cross if he had not checked his run.

Seven minutes before the break, Roberts powered Blackburn into the lead after being played onside by Sam Ricketts.

The bustling frontman raced on to Reid's clipped through ball and stabbed it past Myhill.

But defiant Hull levelled less than two minutes later.

Fagan found space down the right and crossed to the far post for Garcia to loop a header over Paul Robinson with a hint of offside.

Mid-way through the second period, Roque Santa Cruz, celebrating signing a new four-year deal, finally went close but saw his strike deflect away.

And even when Paul Ince chucked on Benni McCarthy in the closing stages, the breakthrough never came.

But the new Rovers boss is satisfied with four points from his first two matches. He said: "There was a lot of expectation after we beat Everton. But Hull played well so it was the right result."

DID YOU KNOW?

This was the clubs' 53rd meeting, the first top-flight clash and the first in the league since Hull won 3-1 in the second tier in 1990.

HOW THEY RATED

BLACKBURN

Robinson 6, Ooijer 7, Samba 6, Nelsen 7, Warnock 6, Reid 6, Dunn 7 (Emerton 5), Mokoena 5 (Tugay 6), Pedersen 6, Roberts 8 (McCarthy 5), Santa Cruz 6.

Manager Ince 6

HULL

Myhill 6, Ricketts 5, TURNER 8, Gardner 7, Dawson 6 (Mendy 5), Fagan 7, Ashbee 7, Marney 7, Garcia 7 (Barmby 5), Geovanni 7 (Folan 6), King 6.

Manager Brown

STORY OF THE GAME

BLACKBURN HULL

62% POSSESSION 38%

2 SHOTS ON TARGET 3

7 SHOTS OFF TARGET 2

6 CORNERS 3

11 FOULS CONCEDED 16

2 OFFSIDES 9

0 YELLOW CARDS 1

0 RED CARDS 0

Referee S Atwell 6

MAN OF THE MATCH

MICHAEL TURNER

Typified the Tigers' spirit with a display of real heart at the back for the away side. He won his fair share of headers against both Jason Roberts and Roque Santa Cruz and was prepared to get anything in the way for the cause

NEXT FOUR IN THE PREM

BLACKBURN

W HAM (A)

ARSENAL (H)

FULHAM (H)

NEWCASTLE (A)

HULL

WIGAN (H)

NEWCASTLE (A)

EVERTON (H)

ARSENAL (A)